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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| NI first minister Peter Robinson steps aside in Stormont crisis | NI first minister Peter Robinson steps aside in Stormont crisis |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson has stepped aside and other DUP ministers are to resign as a result of the political crisis at Stormont. | Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson has stepped aside and other DUP ministers are to resign as a result of the political crisis at Stormont. |
| He has asked his party colleague Arlene Foster to take over as acting first minister, after the DUP failed to get enough support to adjourn the assembly. | He has asked his party colleague Arlene Foster to take over as acting first minister, after the DUP failed to get enough support to adjourn the assembly. |
| Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers said she would not suspend the assembly despite the DUP resignations. | Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers said she would not suspend the assembly despite the DUP resignations. |
| The crisis was sparked by the murder of ex-IRA man Kevin McGuigan, last month. | The crisis was sparked by the murder of ex-IRA man Kevin McGuigan, last month. |
| Police said that IRA members may have been involved in the killing. | Police said that IRA members may have been involved in the killing. |
| 'To the brink' | 'To the brink' |
| The political row escalated on Wednesday, when detectives arrested three senior republicans as part of the murder inquiry. | The political row escalated on Wednesday, when detectives arrested three senior republicans as part of the murder inquiry. |
| One of the three arrested was Sinn Féin's chairman in Northern Ireland, Bobby Storey. | One of the three arrested was Sinn Féin's chairman in Northern Ireland, Bobby Storey. |
| He was released from police custody on Thursday evening and his lawyer said he plans to sue for unlawful arrest. | He was released from police custody on Thursday evening and his lawyer said he plans to sue for unlawful arrest. |
| Later, another of the men, Eddie Copeland was also released. | Later, another of the men, Eddie Copeland was also released. |
| With the exception of Mrs Foster, the DUP's ministers have all signed their letters of resignation. | With the exception of Mrs Foster, the DUP's ministers have all signed their letters of resignation. |
| Mr Robinson said: "The failure of the SDLP and Sinn Féin to implement the Stormont House Agreement, together with the assessment of the chief constable of the involvement of the IRA in murder, the continued existence of IRA structures, and the arrests that followed has pushed devolution to the brink," the DUP leader said. | Mr Robinson said: "The failure of the SDLP and Sinn Féin to implement the Stormont House Agreement, together with the assessment of the chief constable of the involvement of the IRA in murder, the continued existence of IRA structures, and the arrests that followed has pushed devolution to the brink," the DUP leader said. |
| 'Gatekeeper role' | 'Gatekeeper role' |
| "In light of the decision by republicans, nationalists and the Ulster Unionist Party to continue with business as usual in the assembly, I am therefore standing aside as first minister and other DUP ministers will resign with immediate effect with the exception of my colleague Arlene Foster." | "In light of the decision by republicans, nationalists and the Ulster Unionist Party to continue with business as usual in the assembly, I am therefore standing aside as first minister and other DUP ministers will resign with immediate effect with the exception of my colleague Arlene Foster." |
| The DUP leaded added he has "stepped aside but not technically resigned" and has asked Mrs Foster to play a "gatekeeper role". | The DUP leaded added he has "stepped aside but not technically resigned" and has asked Mrs Foster to play a "gatekeeper role". |
| "Arlene remaining in post allows us to ensure that no irrational financial decisions are taken by other parties in what might appear to be the last number of days of this assembly," he added. | "Arlene remaining in post allows us to ensure that no irrational financial decisions are taken by other parties in what might appear to be the last number of days of this assembly," he added. |
| Mr Robinson said he will not take his salary and will not carry out any departmental work at Stormont while Mrs Foster is in post as acting first minister. | Mr Robinson said he will not take his salary and will not carry out any departmental work at Stormont while Mrs Foster is in post as acting first minister. |
| 'Complete breakdown' | 'Complete breakdown' |
| Sinn Féin's Gerry Kelly said Mr Robinson's decision to step aside instead of announcing his resignation was intended to avoid an election. | Sinn Féin's Gerry Kelly said Mr Robinson's decision to step aside instead of announcing his resignation was intended to avoid an election. |
| "The DUP are afraid of an election," Mr Kelly said. | "The DUP are afraid of an election," Mr Kelly said. |
| Ms Villiers said the DUP's actions were "a sign of a complete breakdown in the working relationships within the executive". | Ms Villiers said the DUP's actions were "a sign of a complete breakdown in the working relationships within the executive". |
| "There is an urgent need to get the parties together, find a way to repair those working relationships and address the two issues," she added. | "There is an urgent need to get the parties together, find a way to repair those working relationships and address the two issues," she added. |
| "We did not think the circumstances will justify suspension, that has not changed and obviously suspension would not resolve the two big problems we face, implementation of the Stormont House Agreement and the presence of paramilitary organisations." | "We did not think the circumstances will justify suspension, that has not changed and obviously suspension would not resolve the two big problems we face, implementation of the Stormont House Agreement and the presence of paramilitary organisations." |
| Analysis: Mark Devenport, BBC Northern Ireland political editor | Analysis: Mark Devenport, BBC Northern Ireland political editor |
| In some ways the situation is not quite as grave as had been thought earlier today. | In some ways the situation is not quite as grave as had been thought earlier today. |
| The DUP has not pulled out all its ministers as Peter Robinson had said he would yesterday. | The DUP has not pulled out all its ministers as Peter Robinson had said he would yesterday. |
| Instead he has stepped aside and Arlene Foster will be in place as acting first minister for six weeks - that's how long an acting FM can remain in place. | |
| There will be no suspension as in the words of the Secretary of State "the time is not right". | There will be no suspension as in the words of the Secretary of State "the time is not right". |
| It would seem that Peter Robinson was left in no doubt that the government was not offering the option of immediate suspension. And despite pressure on the SDLP from the Irish government, they did not offer the DUP the lifeline of voluntary adjournment. | It would seem that Peter Robinson was left in no doubt that the government was not offering the option of immediate suspension. And despite pressure on the SDLP from the Irish government, they did not offer the DUP the lifeline of voluntary adjournment. |
| It looks like Mr Robinson has come up with a clever tactic which gives the government six weeks to rescue the situation. | It looks like Mr Robinson has come up with a clever tactic which gives the government six weeks to rescue the situation. |
| Last month, Northern Ireland's police chief said the IRA still existed and that detectives believed some IRA members had a role in Mr McGuigan's murder. | Last month, Northern Ireland's police chief said the IRA still existed and that detectives believed some IRA members had a role in Mr McGuigan's murder. |
| But Chief Constable George Hamilton added that there was no evidence at this stage that the murder sanctioned by the IRA, which he said was committed to politics and not engaged in terrorism. | But Chief Constable George Hamilton added that there was no evidence at this stage that the murder sanctioned by the IRA, which he said was committed to politics and not engaged in terrorism. |
| However, Sinn Féin's leadership has insisted that the IRA no longer exists and said the murder was being exploited by enemies of the peace process. | However, Sinn Féin's leadership has insisted that the IRA no longer exists and said the murder was being exploited by enemies of the peace process. |